Loving the day

Winters, CA
Aug. 24, 2016

Written last night: 

Maybe it’s the yoga, maybe it’s the friendship, maybe it’s the dream … but tonight I feel relaxed (maybe it’s the wine!).

On Wednesday evenings there’s a yoga class in our first floor meeting room. Tonight I gave it a try — or at least I put my yoga mat down in what I hoped was the back of the space. “I’m expecting a phone call,” I said. “I’ll be back.” Mary Louise tried to convince me to stay, but who can relax when waiting for your phone to vibrate with an important message? 

So I went upstairs and did leg lifts for my knee and waited — you don’t want to know the details! There was a scheduling screw-up for my appliance installation. So I waited for the call while doing what is good for my knee pain: lie on new wood floor, tighten thigh muscle, lift leg, hold, tighten, lower, over and over. Zing, perched on a pillow mound beside me, followed each move with his head. The phone was on floor beside me. Earlier, Mui of Best Buy had called to say they can’t accommodate my delivery date, because I have such a large order. (all new appliances, as Clark and I planned). So, she said, wait until next week, not Thursday as we’d agreed when I bought them. 

Oh, no! That’s what I thought and that’s what my beating heart pumped out: OH NO. But just in time the spirit of Clark took hold and shut me up. Instead of accepting Mui’s bad news, I gave a little, and insisted a little, and did it all in a reasonable tone. That’s what Clark (who could definitely speak his mind!) taught me in recent years: Be nice. (I tend to get frantic.)

I was nice, and I was firm, and eventually Mui called to say I got what I wanted, almost. Refrigerator and stove to be here Friday. The rest (which truly I don’t care so much about) on Monday. Thank you, Mui! 

Free then, I went to the last half of the yoga class, and I can’t believe how lucky I am! Although it’s been years since I  did yoga, I could follow along, making adjustments for my knee. I’ll be going again, probably even become a regular. It sure beats driving to yoga.

Before that, about midday, I was one of three high school friends: Carol, Susan and Katie. (That was me then! Late puberty turned me into Katie.) We met for lunch in Winters, CA, less than an hour from here. We are three different souls, and it was delightful to remember and laugh and challenge each other. Life, death, family, health, faith, and more … we covered it. We stayed so long we felt we owed rent on our lunch table, which we gladly paid. I would love to continue tomorrow; I wonder when that tomorrow will be.

And earlier —  back, back to the start of today — on waking up, I was dreaming of Clark; he held me, and nuzzled my ear, whispering that he wants me to love my life.

I loved today.

Winters, CA

Winters, CA

Winters, CA

Sunflowers everywhere